As rehearsals are well underway for the Toronto premiere of Prairie Nurse, I have been revisiting the roots of the play. I have always said "This is a fictional play inspired by real-life folks."

And the narrative has always been that my mom’s immigration story is at the heart of this play.

But that’s not entirely true.

Also at the heart of this play are the good people of Arborfield, Saskatchewan and the neighbouring towns of Tisdale, Nipawin, Carrot River, and Zenon Park. It is not lost on me that these places now have a much deeper meaning than they did a month, a week, or even days ago.

On Friday, April 6th, 2018, a terrible accident on a snowy road at the edge of Tisdale forever-changed the lives of the people of Humbolt, Tisdale, Nipawin, all over Saskatchewan and beyond.

If you are so inclined, please support the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League’s Assistance Program. It has been set up by the SJHL to provide ongoing mental health assistance, aid and grief support for all players in the SJHL. https://www.sjhl.ca/sjhlassistanceprogram